Numb
by Monkeywand
Summary: "You can't believe it. It's not true. You don't want to believe it. You've become so numb..." Warning: Contains character death. One-shot.


**Disclaimer**: Y'all know the drill...

**A/N**: Just a little sad, angsty piece that popped into my head whilst I was s'posed to be studying... Italics are flashbacks... Thanks rockhotch31 for coming up with a title...

**Song ****Prompt**: Rush Of Blood To The Head – Coldplay

**WARNING**: Contains character death!

Numb

You pick your nails and fidget on the spot. You hate waiting. Especially now. When things all hang in the balance. Tired of pacing, you tap your foot impatiently on the floor. If only someone would come out and tell you exactly what was going on. Time holds no concept of meaning for you. You've been here, in this waiting room, ever since it happened.

There is movement by the door, catching your eye. You stand up so fast, it makes you dizzy. But you ignore it, too intent on making your way over. There is a man standing in the doorway, his blue hospital scrubs strangely clean. He avoids your gaze, instead looking around at everyone else.

"What's the news?" you hear someone ask. The figure doesn't answer, finally looking over at you. Your breath hitches in your throat. He doesn't need to answer, you can read it on his face. You take a step back in disbelief.

"I'm sorry," he says, sincerely.

"No," you whisper in shock. "Nonononono." Your words all mumble into one. You can't believe it. It's not true. You don't want to believe it. You've become so numb that it doesn't register when your back meets the wall behind you. You realize you've been walking backwards slowly, as if you could distance yourself from the news. Your body crumples, sliding down the wall into a heap on the floor.

"Kate!" is the last thing you hear before the darkness overwhelms you.

* * *

><p><em>You can only watch in horror as an arm wraps around his neck and a gun is shoved into his head. You instinctively freeze, wanting nothing more than to pull him out of harms way. You know that's not possible and keep your gun trained on the figure behind him.<em>

_"Josh Western, drop the weapon now," you yell, fully annoyed. This guy has screwed you around, and now he has your partner, yourlover in his grip._

_"Why, Detective, I didn't know you cared," Western sneers, digging the gun further into his captive's head._

_"Don't make me shoot you, Western," you snap back, tightening your grip on your gun. "Come on, let him go. There's nowhere for you to run here. Just drop the weapon and lay down on the ground," you order._

_That's where things all go south. A car stalls, back-firing just outside the mouth of the alleyway, making you all jump. Western's gun slips from your partner's head, to his torso, where he fires. You react on instinct, firing your own weapon into Western's escaping figure. He jerks from the force of the bullets, falling to the ground with a thud._

_You want to check on your partner, but know to eliminate the threat first. Gun still cocked, you rush over to Western's fallen body._

_"Now you know what it's like to lose a loved one," he gasps, blood gushing both from his gaping wound, and from his mouth. He cackles and chokes, a sick, gurgling sound that makes you flinch._

_"It's all right, we've got him," two men in blue say, training their guns on Western. You nod, spinning back to your partner. You drop down beside him, placing your hands over his wounds, hoping to stop the blood flow._

_"Come on, baby, don't do this to me. Please. Come on, hold on. Please, baby, wake up," you plead, tears falling down your face. Pressing your ear close, you can hear his ragged breaths._

_EMT's arrive, quickly assessing the situation. They attack your partner with pads and gauze, trying desperately to stop the bleeding._

_"Ma'am, you're going to have to move," one says, gently trying to remove you._

_"No!" you all but shout, gripping tighter onto your lover. She nods, leaving you. As quickly as they arrived, you're both bundled up into the back of the ambulance, and heading off to the nearest hospital._

* * *

><p>"Kate, come on, beautiful, open those eyes for me," a soft voice says. Your eyelids flutter, and you blink in the harsh lights. For a moment, you wish it were all a bad dream, but it all comes flooding back.<p>

_Western. The shooting. Watching the blood pool beneath your fingers. _

A quick glance down reveals that your hands have been cleaned. You look up to see the doctor from before standing at the side of your bed. You flinch away, and he holds up his hands in submission.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, placidly. You glare at him, the same glare you give the perps at the precinct. He flinches, but to his credit, doesn't step back.

"Well, I'm just a button push away if you need me, okay?" You nod, willing him to just leave already. He does, shutting the door behind him with audible click.

You roll over, staring aimlessly out the window. The tears that you've held back, finally fall. Silent sobs rack your body, until your whole body shakes.

It finally sinks in. The words you never thought you'd hear. The words you never wanted to hear.

"Castle, he's dead."

* * *

><p>Yes, I'm evil. I know. Lemme know what you think.<p>

Monkeywand


End file.
